News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-09-01
THE BARGEE.

John Thrupp was bargee, and fin
strapping young fellow; an easy six fee
in his blue worsted socks; deep in tn
chest and without an ounce of superf1u
Gus fat anywhere.
John Thrupp came up the walk of tn,
Pendleburg Children's Hospital. II,
rang the bell, and was requested t,
enter.
The closed door on his left opened
and the Sister, tall, thin woman, in
dark green serge gown, and variation
of the prevailing white Cap on her whit.
hair, came out, saying to the unseen oc
cupant of the little eight-sided room
within, 81 don't think there is any one
coming to see you, dear. 1t is nearly 4
when the visitors go-unless," she said
facing John, "this is your brother
Have you come to see Nancy Battsen,
young man ?" she added.
eyes, ma am" said John; and the
Sister stood on one side and pushed
open the door and said:
Here's this brother of ours at last. !"
She turned to John, and added, sit is
Just as well you didn't come earlier.
She mustn't talk much nor move. You
talk to her," and stepped swiftly across
the slate-p paved passage toward the
ward, but paused as John, who stood in
the doorway, looking at the little dark
head on the pillow, in an agony of awk-
wardness, after moment said:
''She-Nancy, isn't my sister, mann
She's naught to me. At least, she's
my sweetheart. I had to come, as her
fathers had to go on with the boat"
every well, =" said the Sister, smiling
and disappearing.
''Sweethearts" were rare visitors, rs
this was a children's hospital.
Nancy was really two and half years
over the age limit
John creaked carefully across the floor
and sat down on the chair beside
Nancy's bed and said:
"Well, Nancy" in a voice so husky
one might have thought he was a man
of feeling, and not FOnly a bargee."
"Well, John, said the black-eyed
little creature, whose dark curly head
lay still OH the pillow, though she put
a rough little boys hand into Johns
great fist. John noticed that she had
her yellow beads round her throat still,
though she was wearing a washed-out
blue flannel jacket belonging to the
ward, which struck him strangely.
'Don't move your arms, Nancy dear"
he said, speaking in almost a whisper,
and not daring to clasp the hand laid
In his. care you better q
Nancy smiled up at him, still not
moving, but pressing his hand a lie,
and said:
''You be frightened of me, Johnl
But I'm lot better-Im not drowned
now, you silly ~
John smiled little, for the first
time since he had looked at her and
said:
Eyes, be frightened at you? You
look so delicate, and such little thing:
and don't seem to know you, lying
abed like that"
81 don't lie abed much on the boat,
do 2" said Nancy, the flush, which his
coming has caused, fading, and leaving
the little brown face suddenly.
fHow's father, johns"
''He's gone on with the boat. 1t had
to go, you know, so far as Bolton. He's
coming on Wednesday to see yer-back
o by train-if you amt out of this by then,
Nancy"
''Nay, shan't be out, sail Nancy,
her eyes filling. The lady-the Sister,
mean-says I'll have to lay still good
bit because of my ribs. Did you know,
John, when you pulled me out o water,
that the boat had gone agen me and
squeezed me agen the bridge before /
went under2"
John nodded, and putting his left
hand over hers lying in his right, said
huskily:
''Did it hurt very bad, Nancy dear p
and then, breaking down altogether,
poor John knelt by the bed, and laid
his head ON the iron at the top of the
bed and sobbed like a child.
'sDont'ee, John, now dont'ee," said
Nancy, the red blood coming like a
wave into her face suddenly.
''It was not so very bad; / was dazed,
and didn't feel-like at all. Don't cry,
John, | be a lot better, and it don't hurt
now. ] can't bear to have you cry, y
and the poor child's voice got rough,
and great tears rolled over her cheeks,
and she moved her hand to pull John S
head down close to her, and whispered :
cit was you who saved me, John, you
know. Oh, don't cry so, John; I'm
better
For moment or two the poor fellow
sobbed helplessly over his little crushed
playfellow, and then when she said:
You mustn't, John; the lady can see
through that little window, and she'll
make yer 60, he kissed the hand he
was holding, and sat back in the chair
and looked pitifully at her, feeling a
great helpless brute.
"John, said Nancy, shyly, after a
moment, what made you say I was
your sweetheart, when L ain't2'
You are, Nancy; did't know it my
self till came to tell the ladv Won yoS
naught to me, and then | knowed Won
were everything, and all I've got to care
for. When you come out of this vouI
be my sweetheart, won't you. Nancy %
Nancy smiled with the tears hardly
dry, and said, '1t did sound strange
to hear you say out like that, She's nv
sweetheart = But think / be-" she